Financial aid is available to students wishing to study abroad! If you participate in an approved study abroad program, you are eligible to receive all the federal financial aid that you would have received if you were studying in the United States. Depending on the program you choose, you may also be able to utilize your IIT scholarships towards the cost of the program. Study Abroad programs at IIT are divided into two categories:
Global E3 and/or IIT Exchange Programs: IIT scholarship monies and federal financial aid is available to students participating in these programs. You will continue to pay IIT tuition while you are abroad. The tuition costs at the foreign institution will be paid on your behalf pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Agreement.
Partner Programs: Federal financial aid is available to students participating in these programs. Students are responsible for paying the foreign institution directly. Any federal financial aid you may receive will be issued to you by IIT via a refund check. Upon return to IIT, your IIT scholarship monies will be reinstated to your student account.
- Complete the FAFSA, using IIT's school code is 001691: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.
- Apply for a study abroad program with the International Center. Here is the IIT Study Abroad Office guide to help with the study abroad application process.
- Complete and submit Financial Aid Study Abroad Application.
- Set up a meeting with the Office of Financial Aid to discuss federal financial aid eligibility for your study abroad program. Students may contact Kelli Goers at goersk@iit.edu to discuss eligibility.
- Establish an electronic refund to receive funds online using the Student Accounting Office electronic refund guide:
http://www.iit.edu/bursar/pdfs/bur_electronic_refund_user_guide.pdf - Prior to departure, check with the Office of Financial Aid to make sure all outstanding requirements have been satisfied.
- Enjoy your trip!
Students participating in study abroad may request a budget adjustment to accommodate expenses related to their program. This budget adjustment can include travel expenses, tuition and fees charges, excursion accommodations, room and board, and books.
The student can submit a detailed budget from the academic department or submit a detailed spreadsheet listing estimated expenses, along with supporting documentation. Here is the link to the Budget Estimate Worksheet.
Once this is submitted, this is reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid, and a budget adjustment is completed.
Students spend a semester traveling, visiting architecturally significant sites, collaborating with local architects and students, and doing studio-based design in Europe. The Paris Program is supported by the Elizabeth Droste Travel Scholarship. To apply for this travel scholarship, please contact Faith Kancauski in the College of Architecture directly at kancauski@iit.edu or at 312.567.3281.
Private Scholarship Resources
The study abroad office has an extensive list of resources on their web site for students traveling abroad who want to apply for private scholarship resources.
IIT Study Abroad scholarship information: http://studyabroad.iit.edu/scholarship.php
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students are eligible to apply for Federal Stafford loans, Federal PLUS loans, and the Federal Pell Grant for the summer semester, if they are enrolled in at least six credit hours and have remaining eligibility from the previous fall and spring terms. Federal Pell Grants are available to Pell eligible students over summer. The Department of Education regulations state Pell eligible students must maintain satisfactory rate of progress toward the completion of their degree programs to qualify for the full Pell Grant during the upcoming academic year. In order to be eligible for the full Federal Pell Grant award during upcoming academic year, a student must satisfactorily complete and pass all registered credit hours during the Summer term, as well as 12 credit hours or more in the Fall term. If a student does not satisfactorily complete and pass all the required courses during Summer and Fall, the Spring Pell Grant amount may be reduced.
Also, undergraduate students attending the exchange program are eligible for a proration of their existing institutional scholarships. The summer continuation scholarship covers the same percentage off tuition as their university scholarships cover during the regular academic year (Fall and Spring).
Graduate Students
Graduate students are eligible to apply for additional loan funds for summer assistance, providing they are enrolled at least half-time (3 credit hours) for summer.
